Not necassarily a happy ending, unless you count that, at least from the Enterprise point of view, that the whole thing was over. Hopefully, this is NOT what becomes of Peter, but if that prophesy-tale was at all true, hopefully it won't. On the bright side for the Kirk couple, it IS only for three days... even if those three days alone will be hell, after that, maybe a normal afterlife will follow. But maybe I'm just too optomistic for this to be a TOTALLY unhappy ending. But I do agree, that IS generally the way horror stories end. Good story, though. Now, onto the books of Peter! ;)

Author's Response:

As Saavik's Tale and Come The High Water reveal, Peter's horrible brutalization--which sadly did occur--had a hidden level to it. As for a normal afterlife, Sam and Aurelan will spend it shifting between the adults they seemed and the selfish brats they acted like.

I'm glad you liked it--considering the subject matter of its conclusion. It was the most difficult piece to write, short of 'Psychopath', which tells Brianna's twisted story from her POV.

I think I foound the Lycans. ;) Very interesting tale told by Sam, and sheds some more light on what Peter's life was like with them. I did at first feel sory for Sam, considerring his life had pretty much sucked. But then, just because his childhood was a lot less then perfect--his and Relly's both--didn't give them ANY excuse to make Peter's life that much worse. I can't wait for the finish!

Author's Response:

Peter and Saavik represent every kid who had to be the parent to adult children. The finish again is brutal, I can say that much.

Definetely terrible stuff. I can see how Sam turned out the way he did, and it's amazing Bri never broke Jim. But that whole scene on the Enterprise... its turned almost into a sort of horror movie mashup gone wrong, so I had to laugh at Spock's comment about Lycans, since I'd actually just been thinking "When are the werewolves coming in?" Either way, good story, and I'm curious to see the end, and who it is that finally rights this madhouse.

Author's Response:

Please be ready for the ending. Having written a certain type of story, I felt obliged to follow through. As to the horror, I don't always handle it well, and its a bit of a chore to convey in text.

How awful for Peter! Marc was the one he loved most, and he died because Peter, after trying to protect him, didn't have the energy to get back up. I suppose the only good part would have been the Big Three's arrival.

That was pretty crazy, everything Peter did. He was... superhuman, of sorts. Reminded me of an anime I like, where when the main character gets to a certain point of emotion--extreme anger, desperation, etc--he becomes almost unstoppable, possesed by a demon of sorts.

Author's Response:

The entire Ancient Destroyer Cycle has heavy doses of anime influence, including Dragonball Z, Elfen Lied, Devilman, evn doses of Love Hina and Gundam. Peter is superhuman in body, and very much a little boy--albeit a very good little boy--in terms of his mind and soul. He and Saavik contain the genetic threads of something that was never meant to be Human--the creature that in most universe's would have grown to be Ghidorah's arch-enemy. In other words, they are miniature Godzillas.

A curious story told by those ghosts. A very good premise for starting the colony on "Armagedon". Total equality and tolerance of religion is something even the United States sometimes fails at, and it is nice to see that, even if it ultimately ended in failure (granted, it was not by their own hands). Now, I'm starting to get more of a sense of what Hellguard was, from other than the vague references in Encounter Thy Image, if Deneva was a ver watered-down version of it.

Author's Response:

Hellguard is gone into in Down Through, and has been kind of fanon since the pro-novels that emerged during and after TWOK. Deneva's original name also indicates that it will be the site of the last battle between Peter/Saavik and Ghidorah.

Defenitely dark, I'll say that. Oh, and a YAY moment: more backstory. I'll read THIS one first, then return to the Book of Peter. But, it's hard to believe what Lucy's doing, and a little sad that she's resorted to this, and then truly thought she could successfully summon and control Ghidorah.

Author's Response:

Lucy--and the other children on Deneva--gave up, because of one of the inherent flaws (beyond moral ones) in a system of forced labor--those in charge have it good and don't want to give it up--while those under the thumb begin to believe anything is justified to change it. It gets darker still.

As an antidote, I might suggest--after you read the ending---the piece on 'Holiday Road' called 'Show Me'. It's short, and its ending is the direct antithesis of 'The Plague'--just save it for after the ending. Thanks!

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